A Rumtopf Recipe for Summer and Autumn Fruits Northumberland

There are some fruits which are not really suitable for using in a rumtopf recipe. Citrus fruits are generally too sharp. Apples may be too hard to infuse well - I haven't actually tried them yet. Dark fruit such as blackberries can make the whole mix rather dark. If you leave them out you are likely to end up with a pleasant, ruby red dessert.

A Rumtopf Recipe for Summer and Autumn Fruits

One way to store summer fruits is to make a "rumtopf" or rum pot.This is a traditional Christmas dessert dish from Germany, made, as the name suggests, with rum.

Making rumtopf is really simple and can be an on-going project.

The best fruits to use tend to be the soft fruits and berries of summer and early autumn.

What you need for a rumptopf recipe

A big jar with a well-fitting lid. You can buy a proper rumtopf jar. They are not especially expensive and they do the job well because they are deep and dark. A glass jar () can be used but your fruit is likely to lose it's gorgeous colour as time goes by unless you keep it in a dark place.

If you want to use a recycled jar, find something reasonably tall and narrow, like a passata bottle for example. This way you will need less alcohol which is the most expensive ingredient.

You need a bottle - or two of good quality rum. Use dark, Barbados rum, not white rum for the real deal.

You need about half as much sugar as fruit. This stops the fruit going off and sweetens the rum to produce an aromatic and highly agreeable mix. I tend to use quite a lot of sugar to be sure of producing a safe and pleasant brew.

How to make rumtopf

Wash and sort your fruit, discarding any that are bruised or damaged. Weigh the fruit and weigh out about half the amount of sugar. I tend to use white sugar as the rum is quite strongly-flavoured.

Place the fruit in the jar. Add the sugar. If you have time, let the flavours infuse into the sugar for an hour or two.

Now add rum until the fruit and sugar has disappeared beneath the rum. This stops any possible spoilage of the fruit.

Replace the lid and store it in a dark place if you are using a non-opaque jar.

That's it! (Well, pretty much. See below for more details on making rumtopf.)

Add more fruit, sugar and rum as it becomes available throughout the season. Always make sure that the fruit is well covered in rum.

After the newest batch of fruit has had a few days to infuse, give your rumtopf a very gentle stir with a wooden spoon or a wooden fork. This is to break up any sugar sitting on the bottom. Be careful not to break the fruit pieces.

If you dislike stones and pips emerging in your dessert dishes you can take the trouble to cut them out but it seems a shame to spoil the symmetry of the fruit. Small fruits such as cherries, strawberries and small plums can be put in whole. Larger fruit such as pears and apricots can be cut into bite-sized pieces.

There are some fruits which are not really suitable for using in a rumtopf recipe. Citrus fruits are generally too sharp. Apples may be too hard to infuse well - I haven't actually tried them yet. Dark fruit such as blackberries can make the whole mix rather dark. If you leave them out you are likely to end up with a pleasant, ruby red dessert.

Homemade muesli really is a breeze to make. Experiment with different mixes and you will soon learn which cereals you like best. For a subtle taste it's good to include a high proportion of oats. Read on and get more information.